The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1887-11-12
BrOadbrim' New YORK Letter.

Special to the CARBON ADVOCATE.
As though there was not misfortune
enough which we cannot avoid, a large
army of working men here, have precipitat-
ed a strike, almost at the beginning of win
ter, which must be fraught with disastrous
consequences to them and their families
Thousands of brass-workers and printers
are now lying about the cits idle; and as
most of them, having good situations, have
been receiving good paythey took nothought
of TO- morrow; each week brought in regu-
Iarly from sixteen to twenty-five dollars
and their motto was, sufficient for the
day." etc. Strange as ii may seem it is not
question of wages in either case, The
printers demand that no man shall be en-
ployed In any office who is not Union man.
and the emplo' ers claim the right to empo
WHOM they please, so long as they pay Union
rates. The men demand that the emplo :
ers shall wear their label. and the employ
ers absolutely refuse to do so. No one can
foresee how far-reaching in its consequences
this strike may be. If the Knights of Labor
are sufficiently powerful 1t ma extend to
the book binders and paper makers, to
The manufacturers of printers inks and
presses and everything connected with the
printers trade. DeVinne, in whose print.
| ing-house the strike started, not long ago
was himself journeyman printer in the
employ of Francis Hart Mr.. Bart was al
so practical printer. and as his business
Increased he made Mr. DeVinne his fore
man, and on his death DeVinne succeeded
TO the business, There is not more lber-
al employer in the printing business in New
York than DeVinne. As the work done
In his office is of the very highest class he
has no use for anything but the very best
skilled labor; the highest wages and the
shortest hours have always been the rule
at DeVinne's-a fair da 8 wage for fair
days work; but, though kind and generous
in his treatment of his men, in the manage
ment of his business he is as immovabe as
the Rock of Gibraltar; he absolutely refuses
to be dominated over by any Union, or any
representative of the Knights of Labor.
He will treat with his own men; but he
will not recognize any walking delegate or
any outside commission. Theconseqsupn
is, that as matters look now. as neither
party seems willing TO give way, there is
possibility of desperate and protacted
strike. If the printers succeed, no printer
not belonging to theirUnion can BEEN ployed
in New York for ears TO come snd il the
employers succeed. the power of the Union
Is broken in this cit never to appear as a
factor in labor matters again. The strike
is might one, and at present it is diff
cult 10 tell which side is goiug TO win.
The case of the brass-workegs is one of
hours; the men insisting on half holiday
Saturday, which the employers are perfect.
ly willing 10 grant, hut not 10 pay for. On
the other hand, the men insist on the paw
for work the do not perform. As COM
promise the employers were willing to give
the men piecework; giving them the priyi-
lege Of working ten hours day, or sixty
hours week, just as they pleased, but this
the men misunderstanding a uniform
scale OF wages,-poOr workmen TO receive
the same pay as the most skilled; but the
half-holday was the last feather that broke
the manufacturers back and now the
brass works are closed all oyer the two cities
OF New York and Brooklyn. II is estimat-
ed that five thousand men are now living
idle, whose average compensation was, at
least, fifteen dollars week. This repre-
sents a loss weeklyto the brass workers of
seyenty-tiye thousand dollars each week;
the strike has now been on three weeks
and in another week the loss TO these men
VIII be three hundred thousand dollars.
There will be fearful suffering in their FAM
ilies this winter, on account OF the loss of
this money. 1t is question if the half holi-
day was OF the slightest advantage TO them.
Instead of geing home with their wages, as
they formerly did on Saturday night, gangs
of men and boys went OFF to Coney Island
or to the numerous beer gardens With
which this city abounds, and the evening
was wound up at the theatre or concert
saloon, and by Saturday midnight halt the
weeks wages was gone. But the employ
ing brass manufacturers set their foot on
It; the workmen are equall determined.
The workmen look for aid to the Knights
OF Labor, but as It will take twenty five
thousand dollars week to give each Of the
men five dollars, the question is, how long
can the Knights of Labor stand it; more
particularly, as the printers are now de-
manding aid, which will take twenty five or
thirty thousand more each week. The
strikers in Philadelphia are crying for
helps wall Of distress is heard from the
coal mining districts. These with the
strikers in other cities will take, at least,
two or three hundred thousand dollars per